Improvement in ruffling or plaiting attachments for sewing-machines



N. WILSON. RU'FFLING 0R. PLAI'IINGATTACHMENTS FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

No. 190,399, Patented May1,1877.

N. PErERS. PNOm-UTHDGRAPMER. WASHINQTON. D. C.

TfNEW i 'W i r Hi fiQ BQR G A D i =IMP O EMENT- njtujtrrme QRFPLAITIING ATTACHMENTS FOR SEWlNG-MACHINESid s e ifi ation forming partof llett ers Patent No. 1 9D,399- dolled 51 18773 l l d w R February 6,1 877'.

To all whom ttmay mm Be it known that L'NEWTO'N WILSON, of High Holborn, inthe county of Middles'ex and Kingdomof England, Sewing-Machine Manufactnrer,have invented an improved appliance to be used in connection with sewing-maehin es for the production ofruffled or plaited work, of which the following is a specification The object of my invention is to produce, in an expeditious and perfect manner, in a sewing-machine, rnffled or plaited work suitable for trimmings and other purposes, without the necessity for skilled operators, and consists of a peculiar combination andarrangement of parts constituting the plaiting device.

Figure 1 of the accompanyingdrawings is a front elevation, with the cap removed, of a portion of an improved Singer sewing-machine, showing the application thereto 01' my peculiar ruffling or plaiting appliance. Fig. 2 is a corresponding elevation of the opposite side of the said appliance, detached from the machine, and Fig. 3 is a detail back elevation of the knife-edged bar or plaiting-blade.

In carrying out my invention I attach the hereinafter-described appliance, by screws or otherwise, so as to be readily removable, to the head of any suitable sewing-machine, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. a is a reciprocating knife-edged bar or blade. I) I) represent any desired number of revolving tappets, cams, or wipers mounted on an axis, and rotated by a pawl-and-ratehet motion, which is driven from any convenient part of the sewing-machine, the said tappets acting directly uponthe lever which carries the ruffling or plaiting blade, and not through the intervention of any other intermediate appliance. e is the lever which carries the knife-edged bar or plaiting-blade, and. works by a slot in its upper end, so as to have a moving fulcrum on a pivot, f, in the fixed bracket or frame 9 of the attachment. This lover a is held in a forward position, or drawn toward the needle h of the machine, by a spring or springs '5, Fig. 2, while it is drawn downward so as to bring the blade at upon the fabric by the action oi the spring 71, Fig. 1. An adjustable screw orfingerflc, is fitted into the lever 6, and is directly acted upon by the revolving tappets b, one or more of which may be employed. The axis of these tappets or able stop-screw q, and thereby causes the tappets b to revolve the detent m, retaining the wheel stationary in the position to which it is moved. As each tappet passes the end of the adjustable screw or finger 70, it lifts the knifeedged bar or plaiter a clear of the fabric, and

at the same time moves it backward or away from the needle. \Vhen the tappet has passed the end of the screw it, the lever e is released, and the blade at is pressed down onto the fabric by the action of the spring i, Fig. 1, while at the same time the spring 2', Fig. 2, draws the blade forward toward the needle, so as to cause it to tuck a fold, ruffle, or plait under the front of the ordinary presser-foot 0. By changing the number of tappets in the tappetwheel, or by adjusting the stop-screw q, it is obvious that the fullness of the work may be varied, as the greater the number of tappets, or the smaller the intervals at which they operate, the greater will be the number of plaits for any given number of stitches. Moreover, by varying the throw of the said tappets by adjusting the screw It toward or from them, the throw of the plaiter may be also varied, and consequently plaits of any given depth of fold may be produced, and this apart from the variation which would be obtained by increasing or diminishing the length of stitch. In some cases it may be'convenient to employ different patterns of tappet wheels, to be changed according to the nature of the work required. The upward or return stroke of the pawl-lever n, which is represented as being accomplished by the act-ion of the spring 9, Fig. 1, is regulated or controlled, as already explained, by the adjustable stop-screw q,

The lever a mayderive teeth, according to the position of the adjustwherebythe pawl will be caused to Jake fewer or more teeth at each stroke, thereby varying the fullness of the plaits or ruffles. If preferred, a positive up-and-down motion may be imparted to the levern direct from the needleslide, or other convenient moving part of the machine, in which case the spring 10 and stopscrew q may be dispensed with.

I am aware that it has been proposed to employ a ratchet device, in combination with a bell-crank lever, for the purpose of throwing a separate spring-lever into or out of action in plaiting appliances, and therefore I lay no claim to,a ratchet-and-pawl motion when so applied, but- I claim as my invention- 1. The frame g, adapted to be secured to the side of the needle-arm of a sewing-machine, and carrying the lever e, to which the ruffiing or plaiting blade a is attached, cams b, ratchet I, and pawl-lever n, arranged to be operated by the needle-bar, all as set forth.

2. The slotted lever 6, with its moving fulcrum at f, the bar or blade a, and adjustable screw or finger k, in combination with the revolving tappets, cams, or wipers b, ratchetwheel l, pawl-lever n, the springp,and adjustable stop-screw q, all arranged to operate together, substantially in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore described.

In witness whereof I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NEWTON WILSON.

Witnesses:

EDWIN P. ALEXANDER,

14 Southampton Buildings, London. F. J. RAPSON,

Clerk to E. P. Alexander,

14 Southampton Buildings, London. 

